Hand-held vacuum pump

Abstract

A small and compact vacuum pump which serves as a postable vacuum source is disclosed. The pump includes a cylinder coupled with one handle and a piston therein coupled with another handle, along with a wafer valve assembly for allowing a vacuum to be drawn at an inlet of the pump. A previous version of the pump is improved upon by the use of different valve assemblies, to produce a more reliable, more easily assembled and less expensive vacuum pump. A vacuum release mechanism is provided operable with a finger of the hand about the handle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising: (a) cylinder means for isolating a certain volume from the atmosphere and equipped with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,   (b) biased piston means, for drawing a vacuum through the inlet opening of the cylinder means when said biased piston means is drawn back, and for automatically returning said piston means to the end of said cylinder means when said piston means is no longer drawn back,   (c) first valve means coupled with the inlet opening of the cylinder means, wherein said first valve means comprises an umbrella valve, and second valve means coupled with the outlet opening of the cylinder means, said second valve means being separate from the first valve means,   (d) hand operated piston retractor means for drawing said piston means back within said cylinder means, whereby drawing said piston means back causes air to be drawn into said cylinder means via the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and whereby releasing said piston retractor means causes that air which was drawn in to be forced out via the outlet opening of said cylinder means, and   (e) vacuum release valve means located in the inlet forwardly of the first valve means, including an arm associated with a valve closure means, said arm being operable by a finger of a hand about the piston retractor means, and substantially without removal of said hand from the piston retractor means, the arm in a first position corresponding to the vacuum release valve being open and in a second position corresponding the release valve being closed.   
     
     
       2. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising: (a) cylinder means for isolating a certain volume from the atmosphere and equipped with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,   (b) biased piston means for drawing a vacuum through the inlet opening of the cylinder means when said piston means is drawn back, and for automatically returning said piston means to the end of the cylinder means when said piston means is no longer drawn back,   (c) first valve means coupled with the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and second valve means coupled with the outlet opening of the cylinder means, wherein said second valve means comprises a duckbill valve, said second valve means being separate from the first valve means,   (d) hand operated piston retractor means for drawing said piston means back within said cylinder means, whereby drawing said piston means back causes air to be drawn in via the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and whereby releasing said piston retractor means causes that air which was drawn in to be forced out via the outlet opening of the cylinder means, and   (e) vacuum release valve means located in the inlet forwardly of the first valve means, including an arm associated with a valve closure means, said arm being operable by a finger of a hand about the piston retractor means, and substantially without removal of said hand from the piston retractor means, the arm in a first position corresponding to the vacuum release valve being open and in a second position corresponding the release valve being closed.   
     
     
       3. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising: (a) cylinder means for isolating a certain volume from the atmosphere, equipped with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,   (b) biased piston means, for drawing a vacuum through the inlet opening of said cylinder means when said piston means is drawn back, and for automatically returning said piston means to the end of said cylinder means when said piston means is no longer drawn back,   (c) first valve means coupled with the inlet opening of said cylinder means, wherein said first valve means comprises an umbrella valve, and second valve means coupled with the outlet opening of said cylinder means, wherein said second valve means comprises a duckbill valve, said second valve means being separate from the first valve means,   (d) hand operated piston retractor means for drawing said piston means back within said cylinder means, whereby drawing said piston means back causes air to be drawn in via the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and whereby releasing said piston retractor means causes that air which was drawn into be forced out via the outlet opening of the cylinder means, and   (e) vacuum release valve means located in the inlet forwardly of the first valve means, including an arm associated with a valve closure means, said arm being operable by a finger of a hand about the piston retractor means, and substantially without removal of said hand from the piton retractor means, the arm in a first position corresponding to the vacuum release valve being open and in a second position corresponding the release valve being closed.   
     
     
       4. A hand-held vacuum pump as claimed in claim 3 wherein the arm is rotable about an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pump between positions to either side of said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       5. A hand-held vacuum pump as claimed in clam 4 including barrier means for limiting the movement of the arm between its open and closed position, and wherein the arm is located in a helical slot, whereby the valve closure means is movable towards and away from a valve seat. 
     
     
       6. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising: (a) cylinder means for isolating a certain volume from the atmosphere and equipped with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,   (b) biased piston means for drawing a vacuum through the inlet opening of the cylinder means when said piston means is drawn back, and for automatically returning said piston means to the end of the cylinder means when said piston means is no longer drawn back,   (c) first umbrella valve means coupled with the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and second valve means held between the outlet opening of the cylinder means and an exhaust means wherein said second valve means comprises a duckbill valve,   (d) hand-operated piston retractor means for drawing said piston means back within said cylinder means, whereby drawing said piston means back causes air to be drawn in via the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and whereby releasing said piston retractor means causes that air which was drawn into be forced out via the outlet opening of the cylinder means, and   (e) vacuum release valve means located in the inlet forwardly of the first valve means, including an arm associated with a valve closure means, said arm being operable by a finger of a hand about the piston retractor means, and substantially without removal of said hand from the piston retractor means, the arm in a first position corresponding to the vacuum release valve being open and in a second position corresponding the release valve being closed.   
     
     
       7. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising: (a) cylinder means for isolating a certain volume from the atmosphere and equipped with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,   (b) biased piston means, for drawing a vacuum through the inlet opening of the cylinder means when said biased piston means is drawn back, and for automatically returning said piston means to the end of said cylinder means when said piston means is no longer drawn back,   (c) first valve means coupled with the inlet opening of the cylinder means, wherein said first valve means comprises a recessed umbrella valve, and second valve means coupled with the outlet opening of the cylinder means, said second valve means being separate from the first valve means,   (d) hand operated piston retractor means for drawing said piston means back within said cylinder means, whereby drawing said piston means back causes air to be drawn into said cylinder means via the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and whereby releasing said piston retractor means causes that air which was drawn in to be forced out via the outlet opening of said cylinder means, and   (e) vacuum release valve means located in the inlet forwardly of the first valve means, including an arm associated with a valve closure means, said arm being operable by a finger of a hand about the piston retractor means, and substantially without removal of said hand from the piston retractor means, the arm in a first position corresponding to the vacuum release valve being open and in a second position corresponding the release valve being closed.   
     
     
       8. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising: (a) cylinder means for isolating a certain volume from the atmosphere and equipped with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,   (b) biased piston means for drawing a vacuum through the inlet opening of the cylinder means when said piston means is drawn back, and for automatically returning said piston means to the end of the cylinder means when said piston means is no longer drawn back,   (c) first valve means coupled with the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and second valve means coupled with the outlet opening of the cylinder means, wherein said second valve means comprises a recessed duckbill valve, said second valve means being separate from the first valve means,   (d) hand operated piston retractor means for drawing said piston means back within said cylinder means, whereby drawing said piston means back causes air to be drawn in via the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and whereby releasing said piston retractor means causes that air which was drawn in to be forced out via the outlet opening of the cylinder means, and   (e) vacuum release valve means located in the inlet forwardly of the first valve means, including an arm associated with a valve closure means, said arm being operable by a finger of a hand about the piston retractor means, and substantially without removal of said hand from the piston retractor means, the arm in a first position corresponding to the vacuum release valve being open and in a second position corresponding the release valve being closed.   
     
     
       9. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising: (a) cylinder means for isolating a certain volume from the atmosphere, equipped with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,   (b) biased piston means, for drawing a vacuum through the inlet opening of said cylinder means when said piston means is drawn back, and for automatically returning said piston means to the end of said cylinder means when said piston means is no longer drawn back,   (c) first valve means coupled with the inlet opening of said cylinder means, wherein said first valve means comprises a recessed umbrella valve, and second valve means coupled with the outlet opening of the cylinder means, wherein said second valve means comprises a recessed duckbill valve, said second valve means being separate from the first valve means,   (d) hand operated piston retractor means for drawing said piston means back within said cylinder means, whereby drawing said piston means back causes air to be drawn in via the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and whereby releasing said piston retractor means causes that air which was drawn in to be forced out via the outlet opening of said cylinder means, and   (e) vacuum release valve means located in the inlet forwardly of the first valve means, including an arm associated with a valve closure means, said arm being operable by a finger of a hand about the piston retractor means, and substantially without removal of said hand from the piston retractor means, the arm in a first position corresponding to the vacuum release valve being open and in a second position corresponding the release valve being closed.   
     
     
       10. A hand-held vacuum pump as claimed in claim 9, wherein the arm is rotable about an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pump between positions to either side of said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       11. A hand-held vacuum pump as claimed in claim 10, including barrier means for limiting the movement of the arm between its open and closed positions, and wherein the arm is located in a helical slot, whereby the valve closure means is movable towards and away from a valve seat. 
     
     
       12. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising: (a) cylinder means for isolating a certain volume from the atmosphere and equipped with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,   (b) biased piston means for drawing a vacuum through the inlet opening of the cylinder means when said piston means is drawn back, and for automatically returning said piston means to the end of the cylinder means when said piston means is no longer drawn back,   (c) first recessed umbrella valve means coupled with the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and second valve means held between the outlet opening of the cylinder means and an exhaust means wherein said second valve means comprises a recessed duckbill valve,   (d) hand operated piston retractor means for drawing said piston means back within said cylinder means, whereby drawing said piston means back causes air to be drawn in via the inlet opening of the cylinder means, and whereby releasing said piston retractor means causes that air which was drawn in to be forced out via the outlet opening of said cylinder means, and   (e) vacuum release valve means located in the inlet forwardly of the first valve means, including an arm associated with a valve closure means, said arm being operable by a finger of a hand about the piston retractor means, and substantially without removal of said hand from the piston retractor means, the arm in a first position corresponding to the vacuum release valve being open and in a second position corresponding the release valve being closed.